The desirability of using non-conflict materials has been recognized in various industries for public interest reasons. With the passage of Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act in the United States, companies can now be required to monitor the origin of specific metals that can be mined from regions experiencing serious civil unrest. In these areas, the money from the mines may be used to pay for atrocities and to fuel wars led by armed militias. Currently, due-diligence methods include the use of paper trails, which suffer from issues such as forgery, bribery and mismanagement. Other methods include analytical methods that can identify the source of ores, but once the ores are processed, these methods cannot reveal the origin of the metals.
Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended.